Fireflies
by Rapunsel
Summary: Link wants Malon... but what does she want?


She was not surprised in the least by the knock at the door. Her father put down his book and began to get to his feet to answer it. " No, daddy. It's probably for me."

Malon put down the dish that she was drying and went to the door. She opened it just enough to see a sliver of the outside. " Hello?" A young man leaned into the crack between the door and it's frame.

" Malon! I came just to see you."

" How lovely," she replied, a fake smile on her face. She stepped away from the door to let him in. As she turned away from the door, her father's eye caught her own. She knew the look that he gave her. It said, " Him again?" That was understandable, as the young man had become quite a frequent caller over the past few weeks.

Link reached in to hug her, smiling. She stepped back to avoid his arms, smiling politely back. Thankfully he did not try again, but continued to hold a broad grin on his face. " Well, uh, Malon, I brought some…" Link looked around him, searching for what, she did not know. He blushed, realizing that whatever it was that he was looking for was not currently with him. " Well, er, I brought food… I think it's outside with Epona."

At Epona's name Malon brightened up. " Epona is here?"

" Um, yes," he stammered. " I usually do bring her."

" Oh, of course. You were saying? I'm sorry I interrupted." Malon brough back her polite smile.

" What was I saying?"

" Food. You brought food."

" Oh, yeah." He got all embarrassed again.

She didn't really know why he was turning tomato at every other sentence. Why he was so nervous was yet an other puzzle to her. She knew that Link wanted some sort of relationship beyond what they already had, but that was no reason for his blushing. They had been friends for so long that surely one would think that he would be comfortable around her. She changed her smile a bit, to one that she hoped was encouraging. Otherwise, she could very likely expect to spend the evening trying to help him through a single sentence.

" So, you wanna have a picnic?"

" A picnic." 

He nodded. " Yeah. You know, sit outside, eat stuff."

She looked out the window. " Isn't it a bit… late?"

" Well, uh, the sunset is soon, and I was thinking that we could watch it together."

" I was in the middle of cleaning up from dinner, and I had planned to some knitting."

His face shifted from hopeful to puppy dog. At that sight, she gave in. " Sure. Let me just finish cleaning."

" Noletme."

Malon gave him an odd look. This was getting absurd. " I can do it."

" Let your hands rest. I can finish up."

She realized that Link was determined to do the work himself. She shrugged. " As you wish." She stood off to the side and watched as Link plowed through a pile of plates. Perhaps she should rethink her relationship with Link. It wasn't every day that you found a man willing to do the " woman's work." Her shoulders shook from silent laughter caused by the image of Link dressed in a dress and apron in her mind.

" Ready to go?"

She looked beside her to see Link drying his hands with an embroidered hand towel. " Done already?" 

" Yeah, come on." He took her by the hand and led her out the door. Both climbed on Epona and headed out of the ranch, into Hyrule field. Malon sat behind Link, her arms wrapped tightly around him. Being that close, she almost wished that she felt the same way that he did. He was rather handsome, and sweet… and he cleaned the house. She giggled, this time out loud. Link looked over his shoulder. " What?"

" Oh, nothing."

He nodded and turned back. Yes, she felt bad that she could not return Link's feelings. It was actually rather frustrating. Why did he want her? It wasn't as it there was no one else that he could choose. For instance, the princess. Everyone knew about the princess and Link. In fact, they knew more than what was really there. It was all over town that Princess Zelda and Link were seen together outside of the castle. Yes, their " relationship" was big news. Of course Link, Hero of Time, would marry Zelda and become the king. But then, they didn't know about her. Why would they? She was a relatively unimportant ranch owner's daughter, after all. But Zelda? Link had and it seemed that he would always think of Zelda as a sister, or at best a good friend. But it was she, Malon, that he chose to heap his affection upon. And she hadn't the slightest why.

" Malon?"

" What?" she asked, surprised. She had been off in her own little world, forgotten about Link.

" Let's stop here."

" It's kind of dark out here."

" Oh, yeah. I'll light a fire."

" Oh, no, that's all right." But he was already on his feet, looking for sticks. As soon as he had gotten the fire started, he came and spread a blanket for the two of them to sit on. She watched out of the corner of her eye as he began to put his arm around her. But he stopped. She felt him staring at her. " Yes?"

" Do you mind?"

She knew that he meant the arm thing. " Oh, no, it's fine."

He smiled, then wrapped his arm around her. Damn! How could she keep leading him on like this? She felt guilty… but in all honesty, she was not sure how she felt. Maybe she did love him - maybe not. But it was all so unfair to him. If she didn't know what she wanted… but then, she didn't want to let him go, if there was a chance. So did she say something, or…

" Malon? Are you alright?"

" Hm? Oh, yes." Her eyes darted around the dark field that lay before them, looking for something, any topic at all to discuss. " Hey, what is that?" A single speck of light fluttered before them in the darkness.

" Not sure." Link rose to his feet and slowly approached the twinkle. In slow motion he brought out a bottle and held it by the moving light. To her surprise, the glow moved into the bottle that he held. Link looked surprised as well. He corked the bottle and brought it back over to her. " Look."

She peered into the bottle. In the very bottom stood an insect. " That was the glowing?"

" Yeah. It's a… oh, I can't remember. I haven't seen them in so long…" The glow of the fire lit up his face, and there she could see the look of a little boy, a childish grin. " Not since I left Kokiri forest. It's a… firefly. That's it."

" A bug?"

" Yes. But a special one."

" If it's an insect, then why is it glowing?"

" That's what makes it so special." He tilted the bottle and uncorked it. The bug walked out of the bottle, and came to rest in the palm of his hand. " I don't remember them ever being so tame. This one just flew into the bottle - odd."

She nodded. This creature fascinated her. " But how does it light up?"

He laughed gently. " I don't really know. Back in the forest we always said that they were runaway stars. Me, Mido, Saria, and the others would play tag by their light. I don't think that these are usually found off alone." He looked so wistful at the thought of his childhood. 

" Do you ever wish that you could go back?"

His head shot up. A look crossed his eyes that she could not decipher. " Well, technically, I can." The two laughed a bit. " But, well… no. I'm happy with what I have now."

She nodded. His head went back down to the insect in his hand. Softly, he placed his hand on hers and lifted her palm. He prodded the insect onto her hand. She brought it up to her face to examine it.

" I should so love to be a firefly." Link said, rather suddenly. She looked up at him inquisitively. " To be able to light up your life as only this insect seems to be able to do."

Malon fought a sudden urge to crush the insect, and fling it away. Why did he persist in being so kind? And then she knew. She had sent no signals saying otherwise. She handed the bug back to Link. He placed it carefully on the ground beside them, and shifted a bit closer to her. Now she could read the look in his eyes very clearly. She could see his feelings as clearly as if they were paintings on a wall. If only she could decide as to what her feelings truly were. He leaned in to kiss her…


End file.
